To cancel holiday due to ticks

[worrier7]

Myself, DH and our two young sons are going on holiday this month. We'll be staying in the UK, in a very rural, self-catering cottage. We're hoping to enjoy some country walks and also spend time at the local beach.

However, I recently read an article about Lyme Disease and how it's caught from ticks living in long grass. I'm now terrified that one or more of us could get a tick on our skin and catch Lyme Disease, which sounds terrible.

I'm wondering whether to cancel the holiday altogether and book somewhere in a town instead. We were really looking forward to our countryside holiday but I'm now hugely anxious about the ticks - especially as my sons are very active and will no doubt want to play in the long grass. What would you do?

[muddyford]

How do you think those of us who live and work in the countryside cope? In the very rare event you are bitten by an infected tick it will show on your skin as a distinctive pattern of red and white. You go to your GP, ask for a blood test for Lyme disease and get antibiotics. I have never needed to do this and only know one person who has. Lyme disease is only serious if the initial skin reaction is ignored.

[OneTC]

Lyme is horrible

That said I've spent alot of time in the countryside and only ever been ticked a few times and of those few times I've never caught Lyme. The chances of this actually happening to you are super slim and you're blowing it out of proportion by cancelling

[Somethingsnappy]

@LanisHouseLot

The tick has to be attached for quite a while to risk transfer of the bacteria that cause Lyme, and that's assuming that it's a tick actually carrying it.

I would get the tick remover, do tick checks before bed, and familiarise yourself with the appearance of the bull's-eye rash to keep an eye out for. Then just enjoy your holiday knowing the risks are small and you've taken steps to cope in the unlikely event that any ticks appear.

Yes, I came on to say this. It takes quite a long time to transfer the disease, if they are carrying it. I think it might be 48 hours from memory (but do check this). So just check every day and remove. The risk is very low anyway. I live in the countryside and go 'off piste' a lot and have only had a tick once or twice.

If you're worried, just try to stick to paths and encourage your children to too. But don't spoil your holiday worrying. As others say, just wear long trousers and socks etc. And check over bodies at end of day, including the hairline.

[Lulola]

You are over thinking it! I live in the countryside and never even realised what they were until I got a dog. I take them off my dog most weeks during certain months but have never had a single one on me and I take her on all the walks so would be around them.

If you are worried wear gym type leggings or trousers tucked into socks so your skin isn’t exposed. I don’t even give it a second thought and wear shorts without worrying.

[1WayOrAnother2]

I live rurally and walk in forest/long grass etc with dogs.
I've never had a tick bite - though most flying insects love me!

The dogs have picked up deer ticks on occasion and these have been easily spotted/removed and no trouble to any of us.

My husband did get a tick bite once (in almost 60 years) but not from the wilds. He picked one up from a domestic space (in a garden). This tick was removed by me - very easily.

We watched the bite area and it did develop a 'target' shape rash so he dropped in at the GPs and got some antibiotic to prevent Lyme disease. He is completely fine.

[LuxOlente]

Don't look up Ebola, OP.

[MissChanandlerBong22]

Ticks are everywhere. The only person I know who’s actually caught Lyme Disease got it from a bite he received while gardening. In his suburban garden. In a large town in Surrey.

But he didn’t recognise the bite for what it was, didn’t remove it, didn’t recognise the distinctive bull’s eye rash when it appeared and didn’t seek medical advice.

Being informed is the key thing. And take the normal precaution against ticks - long sleeves, long trousers, carry a tick removal tool, and check everyone carefully at the end of the day for bites.

[EmbarrassingAdmissions]

I live in a town. Lots of common areas are fenced off, ostensibly to protect dogs and us from walking in places where we'd pick up ticks.

Enjoy your holiday and, as PPs say, there are sensible measures that you can take.

[saraclara]

I worry for your children if I'm honest. They're about to get the holiday they're excited about cancelled, because of your entirely excessive anxiety? And if you go you're going to be stressed or every time they go near long grass? Or if its hot you're going to have them in long sleeves and long trousers?

Please please get this in perspective. I live rurally, walk most evenings in woods and fields where deer are common, and I've never had a tick in 40 years of living here. My own children played in those same woods and fields.

Please have your holiday. Please let your children play freely and without you hovering. And if you absolutely must check them for ticks at the end of the day (I've never done that in my life), please please don't make a big deal of it and scare your children.

Have you seen your GP about your anxiety? If not please consider it. If you have, then maybe go back and say it's still not under control.

[1WayOrAnother2]

NB - if it helps, round here (south coast) tick season is at its height in early July. Haven't seen any on the dogs recently.

[TooBored1]

Talking as someone who has been affected by Lyme's - your kids are more likely to be injured crossing the road in town, than to get Lyme's going fir a walk.

Just like crossing the road, be aware of the risks and take proper care.

[mam0918]

I grew up in the country playing in the grass and have never had ticks and dont know any human that has.

Our cats a dogs regularly got them and back then you just burned them off (dont pull or they come apart and leave the attached bit embedded whereas heat makes them 'release' to try and escape).

[Tlems]

Make sure to get a tick remover and check at the end of the day. I live in one of the more high tick areas and handle sheep in long grass and I haven't had that many. As long as you check and remove it will be fine, I wouldn't stop your holiday because of this, you could get a tick in a urban park too.

[Dahlietta]

Honestly? I think you might be better on a city break 😁.

[LBOCS2]

I live in the very outskirts of London. My cats come in with ticks frequently; in fact until we found an effective way of repelling them I was probably taking two a week off them. DH camped out in our back garden with the DC and got one, and DD1 ended up with one (probably off the cats).

I doubt it would put you off visiting London though?! 😁

Just cover up bare skin in long grass, keep an eye out for them, remove them quickly using an appropriate tool and if you develop any symptoms see a Dr. It's really not a massive deal.

[Frymetothemoon]

I live in a capital city. Saw my neighbour the other day. Her dog had a tick (which she spotted whilst we were talking and removed). No need to cancel your holiday. Just be vigilant, wherever you are

[mumwon]

forget ticks - I got bitten by horse fly in my back garden - goodness knows where the nearest horse lives! Now they ARE nasty
take me with you op = I guarantee anything that wants to bite will attack me first!
I visited my ds in Aus years ago we went walking at the edge of a "bush" area - it was winter I was wearing tight jeggings trainers socks - I discovered a leach later on - now they are vile looking
When we were growing up there we use to crawl under the house chasing pet rabbit (houses have often have gaps on brick pillars) never thinking of spiders etc - never got bittern than.
Your dc will be fine - if you are a bit nervous of getting the tick out (in the very unlikely event it happens)
I believe some pharmacists will do this for you

[TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross]

Um - if you think this is worth cancelling a holiday over, what on earth do you do to combat the impact of air pollution on your children when you go to urban areas?

[robotcollision]

All wear long trousers and long sleeved tees if walking through long grass. Check to ticks in bath at night. Unlikely to get them on the beach, I'd think.

You don't need to be this anxious. There are dangers everywhere, but most of them are low risk, as is the chance of getting a tick.

[Welshwabbit]

My brothers and I spent our entire childhoods playing outside in long grass pretty much every day and none of us ever got a tick, let alone Lyme disease. I do remember the cats sometimes getting them and we tweezered them off. I do completely understand irrational anxiety, OP, as someone who once worked herself up about not having had a yellow fever jab because (although we weren't going to a yellow fever area) our plane might crash in one. No, really. But honestly, you could get a tick attached to you on Clapham Common in the woods. It would be a terrible reason not to go on what sounds like a lovely holiday.

[MoonlightWanderer]

Give the kids a good spray on the legs with insect repellant before they go out.

[ISaidDontLickTheBin]

Where was the article on Lyme Disease published? There is a huge amount of scaremongering around. Very few people who get tick bites go on to get Lyme Disease, and of those, very few get anything more than mild illness.

[Toolateplanting]

You could use some insect repellent and let the boys play in shorts. Honestly don’t make them frightened of playing outdoors, that will do them good in the long term. It’s amazing how you do spot the ticks if they are unlucky enough to get one.

[worrier7]

Don't look up Ebola, OP.

@LuxOlente erm, from the NHS website:

"Ebola virus disease is a serious viral infection that originated in sub-Saharan Africa. No one has caught Ebola from someone else in the UK."

I think I'm fine!

[MissConductUS]

@TheYearOfSmallThings

I got bitten by a deer tick 10 years ago when I was prancing around the French Alps. I then developed the rash, the flu like symptoms, and tested positive for Lyme disease. 2 weeks of Vibramycin and I was as good as new, never had a problem since.

I don't avoid the countryside because it wasn't the end of the world, and I will be more aware to check myself for ticks in the future!

I also caught it about 10 years ago in New York. A course of doxycycline cleared it right up. Not everyone gets the ring-shaped rash.

If you get it, early treatment is important. If left for too long it becomes more challenging to treat.